...psychologists make reasonable efforts to plan for facilitating services in the event that psychological services are interrupted by factors such as the psychologist's illness, death, unavailability, relocation or retirement ...

Counselors prepare a plan for the transfer of clients and the dissemination of records to an identified colleague or records custodian in the case of the counselor's incapacitation, death, retirement, or termination of practice.

Social workers who anticipate the termination or interruption of services to clients should notify clients promptly and seek the transfer, referral, or continuation of services...

Now Also Available In Print Version!

About The Authors

Anne Marie "Nancy" Wheeler, JD

Nancy is an attorney licensed in Maryland and the District of Columbia. For over 30 years, she has provided risk management consultation services for a major national medical specialty association, and a national association of mental health providers. On a daily basis, she helps practicing psychiatrists, counselors, allied health professionals, and other providers navigate challenging legal, ethical, and regulatory issues ranging from privacy to managed care.

Nancy is also an affiliate faculty member of the Graduate Pastoral Counseling Program of Loyola University Maryland, where she teaches ethics and legal issues courses to masters and doctoral-level students. Additionally, she has presented hundreds of seminars, workshops and keynote addresses nationwide on medical and mental health legal and ethical issues, including closing a professional practice. She has produced newsletters, CDs, video-based programs, and podcasts on legal compliance and risk management strategies. She is the co-author of The Counselor and the Law: A Guide to Legal and Ethical Practice (Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association, 2007 and 2012) and a contributing author to numerous publications, including “Top Ten Legal and Risk Management Areas of Concern for Psychiatrists,” in Entering Private Practice: A Handbook For Psychiatrists (ed. J. Lazarus) (American Psychiatric Publishing Inc., 2005).

Nancy has advised numerous professionals considering retirement or closing a private practice. She has also served grieving family members of professionals after the professional's sudden death or disability. Due to the complexity of legal and ethical issues that arise due to lack or planning, on top of the problems for patients and clients, she collaborated with Rob Reinhardt on this user-friendly electronic publication designed to help health care professionals of any age or stage of practice prepare for immediate or eventual closure of a professional practice.

Rob Reinhardt, LPCS, NCC

Rob is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor in North Carolina, and a Nationally Certified Counselor. Director of a growing counseling and wellness practice he is also the CEO of Tame Your Practice, a private practice consulting firm. In addition to running a successful practice himself, he helps mental health and other professionals grow their practices, with a focus on efficient and compliant use of technology. Rob is also column editor of the “Tech Tutor” column of Counseling Today, the magazine of the American Counseling Association.

Prior to entering the world of mental health care, his career was focused on Information Technology, with experience in software development, project management, and corporate management.In talking with Nancy about the need for health care professionals to engage in advanced planning for emergency or planned practice closing, Rob recognized the growing need for documentation of electronic systems. He brings his knowledge of computers and software to this project, in the hopes of easing the burden of transition for professionals and their appointed representatives.

When he isn't talking therapy with clients or technology with health care professionals, Rob can be found playing ultimate frisbee, playing board games, traveling, and/or enjoying time with his family.